Automatic gas cut-off.



R. E. STAPLES. AUTOMATIC GAS GUT-OFF. APPLICATION FILED IBB.8, 1911.

Patented July 4, 1911.

Attorneys RALPH E. STAPLES, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1911.

Application filed February 8, 1911. Serial No. 607,298.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH E. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic Gas Cut-Off, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic gas cut-oils and its object is toprovide an ordinary form of valve with weighted means whereby the valvewill automatically close v when released, means being utilized wherebythe expansion of the hood or dome supporting the globe, will result inthe maintenance of the valve in open position, said valve being releasedautomatically when the dome or globe support becomes cool, as when thelight is extinguished, thus permitting the valve to close automatically.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is verysimple in construction, can be readily adjusted, and is positive inoperation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a structure embodyingthe present improvements, the parts being shown in the positionsoccupied thereby when the valve is open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe parts shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a domehaving a de pending annular flange 2 for engaging and supporting a globe3. This dome is connected, as ordinarily, to the feed pipe 4 of theburner and a valve of the usual form is mounted for rotation within acasing 5, this valve having stems 6 extending in opposite directionsfrom the casing and each formed with an annular channel 7. A lever 8 issecured at its center to one of the stems and chains 9 or the like areconnected to the free ends of the lever, one of said chains having aweight 10 secured thereto while the other chain has another heavierweight 11 attached to it. This heavier weight is designed to hold thelever 8 normally in a predetermined position and with the valve closed.

Rods 12 are arranged above the dome 1, each rod having a hook 13 or thelike at its upper end and which engages the grooved portion of one ofthe stems 6. These rods diverge downwardly and their lower ends passthrough openings in the dome 1 at diametrically opposed points, thelower ends of the rods being screw threaded and en gaged by adjustingnuts 14:. Each rod has a protecting sleeve or covering 15 of ma-' terialwhich will not readily conduct heat, and, therefore the said rods arethus efficiently protected from the heat and will not expand or contractto an objectionable extent when the gas is lighted or when the light isextinguished.

When it is desired to use the cut-off, the nuts 14 are adjusted so as tocause the hooks 13 to bear lightly upon the stems 6 within the groovedportions thereof. By then pulling downwardly on the lightest weight 10,the lever 8 will be moved so as to open the valve and the weight 11 willbe elevated. While the parts are thus held, the escaping gas can beignited. This will result in the heating and consequently the expansionof the dome 1 and as the rods 12 are fastened to this dome atdiametrically opposed points, it will be apparent that they will bepulled longitudinally and bind with increased pressure upon the stems 6,thus holding the valve against rotation. The valve will therefore bemaintained open as long as combustion is taking place. Should the gas beblown out or the flame extinguished from any other cause aside from theturning of the valve, the dome 1, upon cooling, will return the rods 12to their initial positions, thus relieving the stems 6 of excessivepressure and permitting the weight 11 to automatically swing lever 8back to its initial position, thus closing the valve.

What is claimed is z 1. Apparatus of the class described including anexpansible globe supporting structure, a gas controlling valve, aconnection between the valve stem and the structure, said stem beingrevoluble independently of the connection, and said connectionconstituting means for binding upon the stem to hold the valve openduring the expansion of the support, and means for automatically closingthe valve upon the contraction of the support.

2. Apparatus of the class described including an expansible structure, avalve having annularly grooved stems, connections between said stems anddiametrically opposed portions ofsaid structure, said connections beingnormally seated within the grooves, means for holding the valve normally closed, said connection being shiftable by the structure, whenexpanded, to bind upon the stems and hold the valve against movement. 7

-3. Apparatus of the class described including an expansible supportingstructure, a valve having annularly grooved stems,

'means for holding the valve normally shut,

means for opening the valve, and connections between the supportingstructure and the grooved portions of the stems for binding upon thestems when the structure is expanded, to hold the valve against movementto normal position.

4. Apparatus of the class described including a supporting structure, avalve having annularly grooved stems, said supporting structure beingexpansible when. sub- Gopies of this patent may he obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the the valve open during the expansion of thesupport, and means for automatically closing the valve upon thecontraction of the support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

RALPH E. STAPLES.

Witnesses:

EVA H. CLARKE, WM. A. MCLEAN.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

